Arinze Okeke is a software developer with Intersystems in Boston, Massachusetts, where he has been employed since 2017. Arinze Okeke also stays very active as a runner, pole vaulter, and Parkour practitioner. An effective and fun physical training method, Parkour is the practice of moving from one point to another using obstacles in the way to increase efficiency. The term Parkour has its origins in the French word parcours, which translates to “the way through” or “the path.” David Belle, the founder of Parkour, credits the sport to his father, who served as a soldier in Vietnam while David was a child. Belle’s father had to complete obstacle courses, known as “parcours,” as part of his training, and Belle used his father’s experiences to develop Parkour. Parkour teaches practitioners how to overcome physical and mental obstacles through moves such as the kong vault and the gap jump. While the sport is designed for fun and physical training, it also can be used in emergency situations and teaches practitioners how to move as efficiently and quickly as possible. Parkour is also open-ended, with no set rules or right or wrong, making it a great pursuit for creative athletes.
A former intern and research lab assistant with RIKEN Research Institute, Arinze Okeke serves as a software developer with Intersystems, where he designs software used by medical professionals. Arinze Okeke holds a bachelor's in biological engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he was an Academic All-American in track and field.While there are several awards and distinctions for those competing in sports at MIT, there is no higher honor than being selected to represent one's country at the Olympics. Below are three MIT athletes who did so. 1. Johan Harmenberg - A member of the MIT graduating class of 1981, Harmenberg is a native of Sweden who represented his country in fencing during the 1980 Olympics and won the gold medal in the epee event. 2. Jordan Malone - An accomplished short-track speed skater with multiple medals at the World Championships, Malone won a bronze medal in the men's 5000 meter relay at the 2010 Olympics and, four years later, won a silver medal in the same event. He's set to graduate from MIT in 2018. 3. Thomas Pelham Curtis - A member of the graduating class of 1894, Curtis won the first ever gold medal in the 110 meter hurdles at the 1896 Olympics as he narrowly defeated Grantley Goulding of England. After serving in World War I, he held an executive role with the Lord Electric Company of Massachusetts.
